Strategic Leadership and Management:
The department is dedicated to developing and implementing a strategic vision for digital scholarship services, ensuring alignment with the Libraries’ strategic directions and the University’s academic priorities. The department manages the Digital Initiatives unit, overseeing complex projects that involve all aspects of digitization, accessibility, and access to cultural heritage materials and university research. This includes managing the Showcase of Text, Archives, Research & Scholarship (STARS), UCF’s institutional repository. Additionally, the department leads a team of librarians and staff engaged in digital scholarship, copyright, publishing, research impact, digital rights management, and open access activities. The team also oversees the technologies within the Digital Exploration Center, set to open in early 2026, which will feature podcast and production studios, as well as immersive spaces and tools for simulation, engagement, and collaboration.
Collaboration and Outreach:
The department cultivates collaborative, mutually beneficial relationships within the Libraries and across the university to promote digital scholarship practices. It collaborates with faculty, researchers, and engagement librarians to identify and support digital scholarship needs across disciplines. The department designs course-embedded digital scholarship projects and seeks external funding opportunities, participating in grant writing to support these initiatives.
Research and Project Support:
The department oversees and participates in projects that support open scholarship, data management, text mining, project management, digital pedagogy, and other forms of scholarship. It develops services including consultations, workshops, course-integrated instruction, and advocacy to help faculty, students, and staff grow their skills in digital scholarship.
Professional Development and Contributions:
Staying current with emerging trends and technologies in digital scholarship and the research lifecycle is a priority for the department. It assesses the potential application of these trends at UCF and contributes to the profession through scholarship and participation in professional organizations.